A filthy cell inside a prison inspectors described as the worst they had ever seen

Communal areas of the category B facility were in a “decrepit” state and there was a “substantial problem” with drones carrying in drugs and other illicit items, according to HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said: "The inspection team was highly experienced and could not recall having seen worse living conditions than those at HMP Liverpool.

"Many cells were not fit to be used and should have been decommissioned.

"I saw piles of rubbish that had clearly been there for a long time, and in which inspectors reported seeing rats on a regular basis."

The report also found four prisoners had taken their own lives since the previous inspection and two more suspected suicides occurred shortly after the latest visit, with violence of all kinds increasing.